Point-of-care blood analyzer during the interhospital transport of critically ill children

Abstract

During interhospital pediatric intensive care transport, point-of-care blood analyses frequently led to therapeutic interventions. Some abnormal blood results were potentially life threatening and could not have been discovered without point-of-care measurement. We therefore recommend the use of a point-of-care blood analyzer during interhospital intensive care transports, not only for blood gases but also for electrolytes, glucose and hematocrit.